Celtic Learners Network The Celtic Learners Network is an Adult Learning facility in Cardiff and the Vale, offering a wide range of Humanities courses.

Tutors

Tessa Baber

Tessa has a BA and MA in Archaeology, awarded by Cardiff University and she is currently undertaking her PhD at the same institution. After gaining a broad knowledge of various time periods through an archaeological perspective during her BA studies, she began to specialise in ancient Egyptian archaeology during her MA and continues to build her knowledge of the subject during her PhD. Tessa's current research interests centre on the lives and burial practices of the lower classes of ancient Egyptian society as well as the history of travel to Egypt through the centuries with particular focus on what can be learnt from accounts left by early travellers and how this can expand our current archaeological understanding of ancient Egypt. Tessa has experience lecturing undergraduate students at Cardiff University and currently works for the National Museum Cardiff as an Education facilitator, working with and delivering workshops to all age groups.

Charlotte Hayden

Charlotte graduated with a BA(Hons) degree in Journalism and a MA degree in English and Creative Writing. Since finishing her PGCE at Cardiff University this year, Charlotte has been tutoring English Language and Literature to students of GCSE, A Level, Degree and PhD level. She teaches a range of texts, from Shakespeare to 20th-century writers (such as Yates, Fitzgerald and Woolf) and she also teaches English as a foreign language to international students. Earlier this year, as part of her PGCE, Charlotte taught English and Creative Writing to first, second and third year students at the University of South Wales. She continues to write short stories in her spare time, to be published shortly.

Emma Knight

Emma graduated from the University of Worcester in 2006 with a BA (Hons) Archaeology & Heritage Studies with Sociology & History. Over the past eleven years Emma has undertaken work placements at Gloucester Cathedral, Worcestershire Archaeology Society and Herefordshire Council. Following her graduation she was employed by Herefordshire Council under the directorates of Economy & Culture and Sustainable Communities where she earned her Society of Chief Librarians Frontline New Edition Certificate. Emma has also worked as a costumed history interpreter with Chance Encounters Heritage Theatre Company based in Merthyr Tydfil. As well as working with CLN Emma also undertakes freelance history projects and is due to commence her MA British Medieval Studies at Cardiff University this year.

Ceri Lane

Ceri Lane's studies achieved her BA(Hons) in Ancient History, specialising in the Celtic and Classical World. She has lectured extensively for the University of the Third Age, Workers Education Association and Classical Education Forum on subjects including: Women in the Ancient World, Classical Greek History, The Romans in Wales, Celtic and Welsh History, Mythology and Folklore of the Ancient World, and also works at Barry College of Further Education. Ceri is currently working towards her MA studies, and has recently successfully completed the PTLLS teaching adults qualification.

Louis Leeves

Louis graduated from the University of Reading with a BA (Hons) Ancient History in 2011, and he is now reading for an MA in Ancient History at Cardiff University. While at Reading he wrote his thesis on Lucan's epic poem the 'Bellum Civile',
and he is now working on representations of the forest in Latin literature, and the thought-world constructed around these environments. Before recommencing his studies Louis held the position of Museum Officer at The Novium Museum in Sussex, where he conducted research on the extensive Roman archaeology housed within the district.

Liz McKernan

Chris Owen

Chris is a graduate of the University of Southampton where he studied for a BA (Hons) in English Literature & History, and an MA (Hons) in Creative Writing. He has worked with young, and vulnerable groups in Cardiff for five years.
He is passionate about education across all levels and obtained his PGCE from the University of Cardiff in 2013. Since graduating, Chris has worked as a freelance tutor and a Study Skills Tutor at the University of South Wales.
He also organises a community education initiative called 'The Guerrilla Education Project' which ran for a week in August 2013 and will be returning in the new year for a series of free public lectures. Chris has been working with the CLN for two years and he is looking forward to the coming terms.

Danny Pucknell

Danny graduated with a BA in ancient history from Cardiff University and is currently studying as an MA student on the subjects of ancient and medieval warfare at Cardiff. Danny has a wide range of historical interests centring on warfare and politics with a particular interest in warfare during the Marlburian and Napoleonic periods. In order to combine both his ancient and modern military interests, Danny will be undertaking a PHD next year which involves a comparative analysis of both ancient and modern battle tactics.

Stephanie Roberts

Stephanie is a recent graduate of the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she received a distinction for her MA in the History of Art, specialising in 'The Aesthetic Body: Science, Aestheticism and the Image of the Body in British Art 1860-1900'. Her MA dissertation interpreted works by the 19th century painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema in relation to concepts of pleasure and pain, and the development of clinical anaesthesia. Her research interests include 19th century British Art, the History of Art in Wales, and Tudor and Stuart portraiture. Stephanie has recently taken up a Learning Traineeship at National Museum Cardiff, to assist with the development of a programme of educational resources, activities and events based on John Constable's 'Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows', which will be on display in 2014.

Carys Sims

Brian Swales

Brian Swales is a scientist and a theologian who has worked and lectured in biological and biomedical sciences for many years. As well as his scientific and professional qualifications he also has a BA (Hons) in Religious Studies and a Masters Degree in Theology (MTh) from Cardiff University, and has been involved in teaching these subjects in various organisations over several years. He is pleased to join the tutors in the CLN to provide courses in varying aspects of religious studies both ancient and modern. His current research is concerned with Paganism, Judaism and Christianity.